The 8th Organic Grain Conference & Trade Show is scheduled for February 5-6, 2025 at the i-Hotel in Champaign, IL. Join us for two days of dynamic grain content!
Shifting markets… Changing consumer preferences… Increased input prices… Unpredictable weather… What’s next?
Every hurdle encountered offers an opportunity. Join us as we explore challenges and opportunities across the organic grain value chain.
We are pleased to offer four unique, educational grain related tracks. Educational tracks will encompass grain commodities, agronomy training for professionals, cultivating resilience, current research from the NCR SARE farmers forum and more!
2025 KEYNOTE
We are thrilled to announce our Keynote Speaker for 2025’s Organic Grain Conference! Gary Zimmer is Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Midwestern BioAg. Known as the “father” of biological agriculture, Zimmer is an internationally known author, speaker and consultant. He owns Otter Creek Organic Farm, a family-operated, award winning 1000-acre farm near Lone Rock, WI. Zimmer is the author of three books, The Biological Farmer, The Biological Farmer (Second Edition) and Advancing Biological Farming, plus numerous articles on soils and livestock nutrition. Zimmer holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in dairy nutrition from the University of Hawaii. Anyone who attends a meeting featuring Gary will see that he is one of the world’s leading authorities on biological farming. After several decades as a farmer, agribusinessman, educator and author, Zimmer is recognized around the world for his dedication to improving farms by restoring soils.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025
Day 1 of the conference will feature four concurrent presentation tracks to choose from, a research farm tour, plenary session, a half day trade show, and will close with a mixer at Rigg’s Beer Company.
- 10:30am-Registration/Refreshments
- 11:00am-UIUC Research Farm Tour with Dr. Carmen Ugarte
- 12:00pm-Trade Show/Registration/Refreshments
- 1:00pm-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 1:45pm-Trade Show/Refreshments
- 2:15pm-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 3:00pm-Trade Show/Refreshments
- 3:30pm-Plenary Session
- 5:00-7:00pm-Mixer at Rigg’s Brewery sponsored by the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025
Day 2 of the conference will offer plenty of opportunity to engage directly with peers, consultants, researchers, and industry professionals. It will also feature four concurrent presentation tracks to choose from, panel discussion sessions, a keynote address by farmer and educator Gary Zimmer, and a full day trade show. Day 2 will include a light breakfast, full lunch, and refreshments throughout the day.
- 8:00am-Registration/Refreshments/Trade Show
- 9:00am-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 9:45am-Trade Show/Refreshments
- 10:15am-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 11:00am-Trade Show/Refreshments
- 11:30am-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 12:15pm-Lunch/Trade Show
- 1:30pm-Keynote
- 2:30pm-Trade Show/Refreshments
- 3:00pm-Concurrent Presentation Sessions
- 4:30pm-Adjourn
SARE Farmers Forum
The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Farmers Forum is a traveling event giving farmers, ranchers, researchers, and others the chance to share information about sustainable agriculture practices with a national audience. These presentations focus on research, demonstration, and education projects that promote profitable practices that are good for the environment and community. The projects highlighted in these presentations and the Farmers Forum are funded by grants from NCR-SARE, a USDA funded program that supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching by offering competitive grants and educational opportunities. For more information about NCR-SARE, see: www.northcentral.sare.org or contact NCR-SARE by email: ncrsare@umn.edu, or phone 612-626-3113.
2025 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Whether you have organic grain products to showcase or resources to share, this is your opportunity to get dedicated face-to-face time with a captive audience of farmers who are interested in what you have to offer. This year’s conference will include extended break times for more networking and trade show interaction between the participants and sponsors. View the 2025 Sponsorship Packet or the button below to learn more about sponsorship benefits and the trade show.
Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors!
Soil Builder Level
Harvester Level
